Metal injection system using electrolysis of metal in a nuclear power plant

A method of releasing metal particles into a coolant configured to be an electrolyte such that the coolant is configured to carry the metal particles through at least a portion of nuclear process equipment to further enable deposition of the metal particles at at least one at least one nuclear process equipment surface of the nuclear process equipment that is exposed to the electrolyte, the method of releasing the metal particles comprising:

• contacting at least two electrodes with the electrolyte within an electrolyte flow pathway that is at least partially defined by the at least one nuclear process equipment surface of the nuclear process equipment, at least one electrode of the at least two electrodes including the metal;
• circulating the electrolyte through the electrolyte flow pathway such that the at least two electrodes are contacted by the electrolyte flowing through the electrolyte flow pathway and the electrolyte flowing through the electrolyte flow pathway are in fluid communication with the at least one nuclear process equipment surface;
• applying a voltage of electrical power to the at least two electrodes from a power source connected to each electrode of the at least two electrodes;
• and
• controlling the voltage of electrical power applied from the power source to the at least two electrodes such that the voltage cycles between a first voltage and a second voltage over a period of time to induce separation of at least one metal particle from the at least one electrode into the electrolyte contacting the at least one electrode, the second voltage being greater than the first voltage, the cycling including,
• increasing the applied voltage from the first voltage to the second voltage to cause at least a portion of the metal of the at least one electrode to oxidize to form a metal oxide, and
• decreasing the applied voltage from the second voltage to the first voltage subsequently to increasing the applied voltage from the first voltage to the second voltage and concurrently with the electrolyte contacting the at least one electrode to cause at least a portion of the metal oxide to reduce to metal and to separate from the at least one electrode into the electrolyte as the at least one metal particle.

A method for assembling a metal injection system, the method comprising:

• obtaining a metal injection system configured to release at least one metal particle into a coolant configured to be an electrolyte such that the coolant is configured to carry the at least one metal particle through at least a portion of nuclear process equipment to further enable deposition of the at least one metal particle at at least one nuclear process equipment surface of the nuclear process equipment that is exposed to the electrolyte for use in a nuclear power plant;
• and
• inserting the metal injection system into a coolant circuit for the nuclear power plant,
• the metal injection system including,
• at least two electrodes, at least one electrode of the at least two electrodes including the metal, the at least one electrode configured to be exposed in flow communication with at least a portion of an electrolyte flow pathway that is at least partially defined by the at least one nuclear process equipment surface of the nuclear process equipment and is configured to circulate the electrolyte to contact the at least one nuclear process equipment surface of the nuclear process equipment, such that the at least one electrode is configured to be contacted by at least a portion of the electrolyte flowing through the electrolyte flow pathway to further flow in fluid communication with the at least one nuclear process equipment surface,
• a power source connected to each electrode of the at least two electrodes;
• and
• a controller configured to control a voltage of electrical power applied from the power source to the at least two electrodes, the controller is configured to cycle the voltage between a first voltage and a second voltage over a period of time to induce separation of at least one metal particle from the at least one electrode into the electrolyte contacting the at least one electrode, the second voltage being greater than the first voltage, the cycling including
• increasing the applied voltage from the first voltage to the second voltage to cause at least a portion of the metal of the at least one electrode to oxidize to form a metal oxide, and
• decreasing the applied voltage from the second voltage to the first voltage subsequently to increasing the applied voltage from the first voltage to the second voltage and concurrently with the electrolyte contacting the at least one electrode to cause at least a portion of the metal oxide to reduce to metal and to separate from the at least one electrode into the electrolyte as the at least one metal particle.